The Times magazine recognized Nemonte Nenquimo as one of the 100 most influential people in the world.
The Waorani people celebrated the recognition of Nemonte Nenquimo, president of the Coordination Council of the Waorani Nationality of Pastaza (Conconawep), as one of the 100 most influential people in the world. The struggle of the indigenous leader for the defense of the jungle against extractivism was recognized by Time magazine.
Nemonte, from the Nemonpare community, co-founded, in 2015, Alianza Ceibo, an indigenous non-profit organization, whose basic objective is to protect indigenous livelihoods.
In 2018, Nemonte and the Waorani organization that she leads won a historic legal victory against the Ecuadorian state, protecting nearly half a million acres of rainforest and setting a precedent for indigenous rights for the region.
«The landmark ruling protects the ancestral home of the Waorani in Ecuador from immediate destruction. This has brought hope to indigenous communities around the world, who are facing overwhelming difficulties,” says the US magazine, in its online version.
Nenquimo’s name was announced by Time magazine at 9:01 p.m. on Tuesday, September 22, 2020 with an introduction by the actor and environmentalist Leonardo Di Caprio who noted:
She has kept her word, and continues to be a voice and advocate for her community. Nemonte’s cause is all our cause. She inspires those she speaks with to shoulder the nearest boulder and walk alongside her as her movement continues to grow. I am lucky to have met her, and I am luckier still to have learned from her.
In a statement, the Waorani people received this recognition as a collective triumph.
“The honor is for the struggle of all the Amazonian indigenous peoples in defense of our rights, our territories and our global climate.”
They also affirm that their struggle is being heard throughout the world, and that “Western civilization is awakening and understanding the importance of listening to and respecting indigenous peoples.”
As every year since 1999, the American magazine Time publishes a special edition dedicated to the 100 most influential people in the world. The profiles selected in 2020 are divided into five categories: pioneers, artists, leaders, icons, and titans.
In the list of world characters, the leader Waorani Nemonte Nenquimo stands out. For Ecuador, it is the second time that a woman’s initiatives and leadership have reached a global impact. The first time the award was achieved by Cristina Jiménez (2018), in this same publication, for work in favor of immigrants.
Time magazine reported Tuesday that 54 of the 100 characters on the list are women. (C.D.A.)
Source: Times
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